Japan's Amami island picked as Natural World Heritage site

Nikkei -- Jul 27

UNESCO will recognize Amami Oshima and other islands in Japan's southwest as a World Heritage site for their array of one-of-a-kind animal and plant species, the United Nations agency decided Monday.

The designation also covers Tokunoshima and Iriomote, along with the northern part of Okinawa's main island. Altogether, they represent Japan's 24th World Heritage site and the fifth natural heritage site.

Japan's newest World Heritage site spans nearly 43,000 hectares over the four islands. The area is home to rare species such as the Iriomote leopard cat, Ishikawa's frog and the Amami rabbit. Iriomote and Amami Oshima are especially known for their wide expanses of mangrove forest.

The induction as a World Heritage site likely will spur an uptick in tourists. Poaching also remains a problem. Relevant agencies and local governments, including Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures where the islands are located, will bolster nature preservation efforts.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee chose several new sites in Asia during Monday's virtual meeting. They include South Korea's Getbol Tidal Flats, the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex in Thailand and the Arslantepe Mound in Turkey.

UNESCO is expected to add 17 Jomon period archaeological sites in northern Japan to the World Cultural Heritage list on Tuesday. They are located in Hokkaido, as well as in the prefectures of Aomori, Iwate and Akita. Among the most famous are the remains of Aomori's Sannai-Maruyama settlement, built about 5,900 years ago.

Jul 27 (ANNnewsCH) -  「奄美・沖縄」の世界自然遺産の登録が決まりました。  ユネスコ(国連教育科学文化機関)の世界遺産委員会は26日、奄美大島、徳之島、沖縄本島北部、西表島の4地域について世界自然遺産に登録すると決定しました。  生物多様性に富み、世界的に高い価値があると判断しました。